The Importance of Being Earnest (Dramatised)

Ever since the first night at the St James' Theatre on 14 February 1895,
The Importance of Being Earnest has been recognised as one of the world's finest comic dramas. Now Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell leads an outstanding cast in this superb new production of Wilde's masterpiece, mounted to celebrate the centenary of the first performance.

Dracula [Audible Edition]

The modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.

Audible presents a special edition of three Gothic masterpieces: a brand-new Audible Exclusive recording of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

This is the disturbing tale of the dual personality of Dr. Jekyll, a physician. A generous and philanthropic man, he is preoccupied with the problems of good and evil and with the possibility of separating them into distinct personalities. He develops a drug that transforms him into the demonic Mr. Hyde, in whose person he exhausts all the latent evil in his nature.

A Tale of Two Cities: The Dickens Collection: An Audible Exclusive Series

Exclusively from Audible. 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' So begins Charles Dickens' most famous historical drama: a gripping tale of war, social injustice and the choice between darkness and light. After being unjustly imprisoned for 18 years, French doctor Manette is released from the Bastille jail in Paris and embarks upon a journey to London in the hope of finding the daughter he never met.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

A natural storyteller and raconteur in his own right - just listen to Paddle Your Own Canoe and Gumption - actor, comedian, carpenter, and all-around manly man Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) brings his distinctive baritone and a fine-tuned comic versatility to Twain's writing. In a knockout performance, he doesn't so much as read Twain's words as he does rejoice in them, delighting in the hijinks of Tom - whom he lovingly refers to as a "great scam artist" and "true American hero".

Pride and Prejudice

One of Jane Austen’s most beloved works, Pride and Prejudice, is vividly brought to life by Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl). In her bright and energetic performance of this British classic, she expertly captures Austen’s signature wit and tone. Her attention to detail, her literary background, and her performance in the 2005 feature film version of the novel provide the perfect foundation from which to convey the story of Elizabeth Bennett, her four sisters, and the inimitable Mr. Darcy.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

This fictionalized portrait of Joyce's youth is one of the most vivid accounts of the growth from childhood to adulthood. Dublin at the turn of the century provides the backdrop as Stephen Dedalus moves from town and society, towards the irrevocable decision to leave. It was the decision made by Joyce himself which resulted in the mature novels of
Ulysses and
Finnegans Wake.

De Profundis

Written during his time in Reading Gaol,
De Profundis is Oscar Wilde's moving letter to Lord Alfred Douglas, whose relationship with Wilde led to the poet's imprisonment. Here Wilde repudiates Lord Alfred and reflects on his ordeal, acknowledging how the depths of his sorrow have helped liberate him toward a fuller, freer wisdom. Brimming with beautiful passages,
De Profundis is a profound and inspiring treatise on the meaning of suffering.

Fahrenheit 451

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television "family."

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel of the Roaring Twenties is beloved by generations of readers and stands as his crowning work. This new audio edition, authorized by the Fitzgerald estate, is narrated by Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain). Gyllenhaal's performance is a faithful delivery in the voice of Nick Carraway, the Midwesterner turned New York bond salesman, who rents a small house next door to the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby. There, he has a firsthand view of Gatsby’s lavish West Egg parties - and of his undying love....

Audible Editor Reviews

Steven Crossley provides a riveting performance of Oscar Wilde’s classic tale of morality, hypocrisy, and depravity. Wilde’s subtle, ironic comments are handled with ease by Crossley. He delivers Dorian Gray’s fateful statement - “If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! . . . I would give my soul for that!” - with all the flamboyance of the young British sophisticate. Crossley’s delivery of the lighthearted banter between nineteenth-century fashionable folk is musical; whereas, as Gray’s dissipation becomes evident, he creates spine-tingling horror.

Publisher's Summary

Oscar Wilde’s classic story of a young man who sells his soul in exchange for eternal beauty and youth continues to thrill generations of readers. Written by a man who was every bit as flamboyant and unconventional as its hero, The Picture of Dorian Gray is as haunting today as when it first shocked the British public in 1891. Dorian Gray, young, intelligent, sophisticated, gazes on his freshly painted portrait. Wishfully, he murmurs, “If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! … I would give my soul for that!” From that moment, as Dorian spends his days enjoying the splendors of the world and his nights exploring its depravity and sin, his face remains untouched by life. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde creates a metaphor that transcends a specific era to become a timeless reflection on the nature of art, morality, and beauty—and a splendid horror story. Narrator Steven Crossley’s performance highlights the interplay of innocence and corruption that weaves a dark, seductive spell on all who encounter this enigmatic work.

"Dorian Gray" unwinds like a spool of thread, slowly and carefully, and you'll find it rewarding IF...

1. You have patience. Friends of mine complain that this book doesn't do enough with its premise but the slow unraveling of Gray's psyche and escalation of stakes was plenty for me. Don't read if you expect the frequent action of a Stieg Larsson novel.2. You enjoy rich, detailed prose. Wilde is a master in this way.3. You like high concept novels executed with strong form and maturity. "Dorian Gray" could be garish and awful, but instead has the same mournful and earnest reverence for its innate horror as Shelley's "Frankenstein."

The narration is excellent - playful and 100% listenable. This audiobook was a pleasure in so many ways, and a potent introduction to Wilde's literary prose.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Rodrigo

Nicaragua

06/07/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Story"

Where does The Picture of Dorian Gray rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks on the top 10.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved how the main character, Dorian Gray, developed and became more and more corrupted until his doom.

Which character – as performed by Steven Crossley – was your favorite?

Dorian Gray.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, the moment when Dorian committed his ultimate sin. Won't tell what it was, you'll have to find out.

Any additional comments?

A great story that makes you take upon phylosophycal thoughts.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Sepi

Tarzana, CA, United States

26/12/11

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great book and very philosophical idea."

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yea

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lord Henry because what ever he says make sense and it is true. He is trying to teach Dorian that he should enjoy his life while he is young. God did not create us we, human created God.

Have you listened to any of Steven Crossley’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Nope but he is great performer.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No just amazed by a great original idea by Oscar Wilde

Any additional comments?

just fantastic

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Michaela

parsonsburg, MD, United States

02/06/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"I was as captured by this young man as he was!"

Any additional comments?

I thought I knew the story of Dorian Grey, I did not. I found that I was as transfixed with him and his story as much as the characters in the book were. Great classic story, this has made me go back and read (sometimes re-read) the classics!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

startedup

13/02/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"It was good"

Where does The Picture of Dorian Gray rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I only listned about three or four audiobooks so far, but I rank it 4/5

Who was your favorite character and why?

It was Lord Henry

Which character – as performed by Steven Crossley – was your favorite?

It was Lord Henry

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, I didn't. But it was good

Any additional comments?

No.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

JB

Marshalltown, IA

10/01/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Excellent in every way"

What did you love best about The Picture of Dorian Gray?

I read this book for a lit class in college back in the 1980s. It has stuck with me ever since and I was excited to see it on Audible.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lord Henry ("Harry") has got to be the book's most well-developed character. He is eccentric, articulate, likable, quick tongued, and terribly corrupt. He is evil in the most pleasant and fascinating way. He directs innocent Dorian on a course of damnation, yet you secretly want to be like him.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Steven Crossley?

Yes. My biggest criticism of the narrating is the pace. I am wondering if this is one of Steve's first audiobooks. If so, his later ones will probably be better. In this one he left long pauses where they were not warranted which kind of upset the flow and pace. He could have also used better developed emotions. However, his voice was pleasant, he did a decent job of adapting it to various characters and personalities (there are only 3 primary characters in the story but several minor ones), and his diction was good.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Avi

06/12/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"every thing I can't stand about Victorian writing"

I remember reading this book in high school, but never finished it. I wanted to reacquaint myself with the classics. Now I remember why I could not finish this. Although the concept of Dorian Gray is important and fascinating, it was a struggle to get through all the overwrought and overdone dialogue. No one just spoke their lines, they cried out. nobody just sat on a couch, they threw themselves on the couch, a couch that was invariably overstuffed. Even the narrator joins in on the witty and cynical epigrams that come in every other line. perhaps this is what sold books in the 19th century England, and people expected a finger wagging cautionary tale. by the way, the character of Dorian Gray is being explored and developed quite admirably in the TV series penny dreadful.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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